Thrust reversing system for high bypass fan engines

ABSTRACT

In the preferred configuration, the assembly is characterized in that the lateral and longitudinal thrust reserving loads exerted on the thrust reversing subassembly are transmitted into the fan duct structure which is arranged to in turn transmit these thrust reversing loads into outer structure to which the jet engine and thrust reversing assembly is mounted. 
     In the preferred from, there are vane means which, with the thrust diverting structure in the thrust reversing position, is positioned in the thrust reversing opening to properly direct flow through the thrust reversing opening. Also in the preferred form, the thrust diverting structure is pivotally mounted to the fan duct structure at a lower location so that the thrust diverting structure rotates with a downward component of motion to the thrust reversing position, so that the thrust diverting opening is directed upwardly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a thrust reversing system for anaircraft, and more particularly to such a thrust reversing systemparticularly adapted for use with high bypass long duct fan engines.

2. Background Art

The design of effective thrust reversers has been a problem in theaircraft industry for a number of decades. Ideally, in the stowedconfiguration for cruise, the thrust reversing mechanism should belocated so as to minimize any drag and also so as not to interfere withthe operating components of the engine. This requirement is oftentimesincompatible with the need to provide effective reverse flow of theengine exhaust. The result is often a compromise between these tworequirements.

Another problem is that some thrust reversers operate in such a way thatat least part of the reversed flow is directed toward the ground so asto blow up dirt or small rocks which might then be drawn into the engineinlet. A related problem is that the reversed flow can be reingestedback into the engine inlet. Further, many of the prior art thrustreversing mechanisms are expensive and have maintenance problems.

It is also desirable that the reversal of flow be accomplished in amanner that the reversed flow does not create any lift on the wing so asto take loads off the main gear or nose gears, and a corollary of thisis that a desired feature of a thrust reversing system is to creategreater loading on those gears. Another problem is that some thrustreversing mechanisms detract from the rudder and fin effectiveness ofthe aircraft.

A search of the patent literature has disclosed a number of patentsrelated to thrust reversers, and these are recited below:

U.S. Pat. No. 3,262,271 (Beavers) shows a thrust reverser for a fan jetengine which reverses only the fan flow. There are plurality ofisosceles-shaped flaps 22 which pivot from the fan cowl into theblocking position. This fan cowl section 19 moves rearwardly to exposevanes 38. The core exhaust is not reversed, and the exhaust appears tobe uniformly reversed around the entire periphery of fan area.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,279,182 (Helmintoller) shows a thrust reversing systemwhich is similar in principle to the Beavers patent discussedimmediately above.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,483,702 (Ward) shows a thrust reverser having the samebasic operating principles as the two patents noted immediately above(i.e., Beavers and Helmintoller). There are inner and outer flaps 26 and25 which move to cause the thrust reversal, and there are guide vanes 44that are attached to piston rods 40.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,600,394 (McClain) shows a thrust reverser operating toreverse the fan jet in accordance with the same operating principles asthe three patents discussed immediately above. The doors 50 arepivotally mounted at 54 and are moved to the blocking position assection 28 moves rearwardly.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,608,314 (Colley) is another example of a thrust reverserhaving the same operating principles as the four discussed above. Thereversing flaps 28 comprise the flap sections 30 and 32, and the aftsection of the cowl moves rearwardly to uncover the vanes.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,660,982 (Goslan) shows a variety of thrust reversingarrangements somewhat schematically. In FIGS. 7 and 8, and also in FIGS.13 and 14, there are shown reversing mechanisms that deflect the thrustupwardly only. The patent is directed toward deflector plates positionedin the thrust reverser to prevent backflow into the bypass passageway.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,691,711 (Colley) discloses a thrust reverser where aplurality of blocker flaps 32 pivot radially inwardly to block the fanduct passageway of a fan duct engine, with the flow being deflectedradially outwardly through the vanes 56 in a forward direction. (Thisarrangement is similar to the first five patents noted above.)

U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,010 (Chamay et al) shows a thrust reverser where theaft section of the engine translates rearwardly to uncover a pluralityof guide vanes which extend around the nozzle of the engine. This alsocauses a plurality of blocker flaps 70, which are pivotally mounted tothe translating portion of the cowling, to move inwardly to a blockingposition. A number of struts 86 interconnect the blocker flaps 70 withthe engine casing 20. It is stated that this casing 20 could eitherhouse a conventional core engine, or it could be the plug of a coreengine.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,482 (Stearns) shows a clam shell thrust reverser foran engine which is shown mounted directly to the wing. The clam shellpanel 26 is pivotally mounted about a lower axis and rotates rearwardlyand upwardly into its blocking position. An aft ramp segment 54 ispivotally mounted at a forward location at 48 and is rotated upwardly toblock the rear opening of the clam shell panel 26 so that the exhaustflows into the clam shell panel 26 and is deflected forwardly andupwardly for thrust reversal.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,415 (Pazmany) shows a thrust reverser used on a wingmounted jet engine where the exhaust gases are discharged over the uppersurface of the wing. The nacelle has an aft section 24 with a targetblocker door 28 which is moved rearwardly and downwardly onto the uppersurface of the wing into its thrust reversing position. A set of vanesis moved rearwardly toward the upper edge of the blocker door to deflectthe exhaust gases upwardly and forwardly.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,198 (Sanders) shows a thrust reverser for a jetengine mounted to a wing where the exhaust gases are discharged over theupper surface of the wing. There is a deflector door 24 positioned atthe aft end of the engine, and this is rotated upwardly and rearwardlyto its thrust reversing position. The blocker door 22 has its forwardedge moved rearwardly which, in turn, by the action of the linkage 48moves the blocker door 22 upwardly into its blocking position tocooperate with the deflector door 24 to cause upward and forwarddeflection of the jet exhaust.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,981,463 (Pazmany) shows another thrust reverser for usein an engine mounted directly to a wing so as to discharge its exhaustover the upper surface of the wing. There is a blocker door 20 which ispivotally mounted at its forward end of the upper surface of the wingfor movement upwardly and forwardly to its blocking position. Adeflector door 30 is pivotally mounted at its rear end and movableupwardly and rearwardly to its thrust reversing position.

U.S. Pat No. 4,073,440 (Hapke) shows a thrust reverser to reverse thethrust of both the primary and fan air. In some embodiments, blockerdoors are arranged to be moved from a stowed position adjacent the innercircumferential wall defining the inside of the fan duct radiallyoutwardly to a thrust reversal position, with the air flow through thefan duct being diverted radially outwardly through cascade vanes whichare exposed by rearwardly translating an aft portion of the nacellerearwardly. In some arrangements, blocker doors are also provided tomove to a deployed position to divert the flow from the primary exhaustradially outwardly through cascade vanes, and in other arrangements, theprimary flow is closed off, thus permitting the primary exhaust to exitthrough the nozzle through which the fan air is normally discharged.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,478 (Rudolph) shows a thrust reverser where in oneembodiment there is a single clam shell door used in an engine which ismounted to the wing, with the exhaust being directed over the topsurface of the wing. The door is slide mounted at a forward location,and is mounted by a pivot link at a rear location, this causing the doorto have a rearward and angular movement to its thrust reversingposition. Movement of the door exposes a set of cascade vanes. Inanother embodiment, two such clam shell doors are shown in anaxisymmetric exhaust system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The jet engine and thrust reversing assembly of the present invention isparticularly adapted to be incorporated in a fan jet engine having along fan duct structure, but within the broader scope of the presentinvention, could be used in other applications. The assembly has aforward end and a rear end.

In the preferred form, there is a core engine having an intake end andan exhaust end from which primary exhaust is discharged into an exhaustarea. There is a fan duct structure having an annular rear end portionand defining an annular secondary air passageway which is positionedaround the core engine and which exhausts secondary air into the exhaustarea. There is fan means to blow fan air through the secondary airpassageway.

The thrust reversing subassembly of the invention comprises an annularthrust diverting structure having a cruise position and a thrustreversing position. It comprises a circumferential side wall which inthe cruise position extends substantially entirely around the exhaustarea, with a forward annular end portion of the thrust divertingstructure being positioned adjacent to an annular rear end portion ofthe fan duct structure so as to form a rearward extension of the fanduct structure and to define a rear exhaust passageway portion fromwhich the primary exhaust and air from the secondary passageway aredischarged.

The thrust diverting structure is movable rearwardly from the cruiseportion to the thrust reversing position where at least one portion ofthe forward annular end portion of the thrust diverting structure isspaced rearwardly from the annular rear end portion of the fan ductstructure to form a laterally directed thrust diverting opening.

There is a passageway blocking plate means which in the cruise positionis located to permit flow through the rear exhaust passageway portionand in the thrust reversing position blocks flow through the rearexhaust passageway portion to create with the thrust reversing structurea flow diverting region to cause the primary exhaust and the fan air toflow through the thrust reversing opening to create a reverse thrust.

In this preferred configuration, the assembly is characterized in thatthe lateral and longitudinal thrust reversing loads exerted on thethrust reversing subassembly are transmitted into the fan duct structurewhich is arranged to in turn transmit these thrust reversing loads intoother structure to which the jet engine and thrust reversing assemblyare mounted.

In the preferred form, there are vane manes which, with the thrustdiverting structure in the thrust reversing position, is positioned inthe thrust reversing opening to properly direct flow through the thrustreversing opening. Also in the preferred form, the thrust divertingstructure is pivotally mounted to the fan duct structure at a lowerlocation so that the thrust diverting structure rotates with a downwardcomponent of motion to the thrust reversing position, so that the thrustdiverting opening is directed upwardly. The thrust diverting structurehas opening means to receive the vane means when the thrust divertingstructure is in the cruise position.

Also, in the preferred configuration, the fan duct structure has lowerrear wall sections having upper edge portions to which the vane means ismounted. Further, the thrust diverting structure has lower forward wallsections which in the cruise position overlap with the lower rear wallsections of the fan duct structure, and in the thrust reversing positionform with the lower rear wall sections an enclosure wall means to definea lower portion of the thrust reversing region.

Desirably, the blocking plate means is pivotally mounted at a locationin the thrust reversing structure, and in the cruise configuration isaerodynamically aligned with flow through the rear exhaust passagewayportion, and is rotated to the thrust reversing position where theblocking plate means extends transversely across the thrust divertingstructure. Specifically, the plate means is pivotally mounted to thethrust diverting structure so as to be movable therewith between thecruise position and the thrust reversing position.

There is blocking plate actuating means operatively connected betweenthe blocking plate means and other structure in the assembly which isnot movable with the thrust diverting structure in moving to the thrustreversing position. The actuating means is arranged to respond torelative movement between the thrust diverting structure and said otherstructure to rotate the blocking plate means between the cruise positionand the thrust reversing position. Specifically, the actuating meanscomprises linkage means connecting to the blocking plate means at alocation spaced from an axis of rotation about which said blocking platemeans rotates between the cruise position and the thrust reversingposition.

In the preferred arrangement, the other structure to which the linkagemeans is connected comprises a structure of the core engine, which isspecifically a nozzle plug of the core engine. As an additional feature,the blocking plate means has locking structure to interfit in lockingrelationship with the nozzle plug when the blocking plate means is inthe cruise configuration. This prevents rotation of the blocking platemeans, but the locking structure become disengaged from the nozzle plugwhen the thrust diverting structure moves toward the thrust reversingposition.

One preferred arrangement of the assembly of the present invention isfor the engine to be mounted below and forwardly of a wing, with thethrust reversing subassembly being arranged to discharge the thrustreversing flow upwardly at a location forwardly of the wing. Also, in apreferred configuration, the engine is mounted by means of a strut whichextends downwardly and laterally outwardly from the wing, with thethrust reversing flow being discharged at a location laterally of thestrut. In this preferred configuration, the thrust reversing flow isdirected upwardly and laterally outwardly, and the thrust divertingstructure is pivotally mounted about a hinge axis positioned at a lowerand laterally inward location in the engine and thrust reversingassembly.

Other features will become apparent from the following detaileddescription.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an airplane incorporating theengine and thrust reversing assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the engine and thrust reversing assembly;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the longitudinalcenter axis of the engine, showing the aft portion of the engine and thethrust reversing subassembly in the cruise configuration;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the thrust reversingsubassembly in the thrust reverser position;

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view showing a half section of the aft portion ofthe fan duct structure alone, carrying the turning vanes of the thrustreversing subassembly;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view similar to FIG. 8, showing a half section ofonly the thrust diverting structure of the thrust reversing subassembly;

FIG. 10 is an isometric view similar to FIG. 8, but showing the entireaft portion of the fan duct structure and the vanes;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 9, but showing only the thrustdiverting structure fully;

FIG. 12 is a transverse sectional view taken at a forward portion of theengine, looking in a rearward direction, and illustrating certain loadcarrying links by which the core engine and fan case are supported;

FIG. 13 is a top view of one of the thrust links interconnecting theengine to support structure;

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of the fan duct structure withportions thereof being removed to show a portion of the core engine toshow the support and thrust links; and

FIG. 15 is a isometric view taken from a location laterally outward ofthe invention in its thrust reversing position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The engine 10 incorporating the thrust reversing system 12 of thepresent invention is, in this preferred embodiment, a long duct fan jetengine having a front inlet 14, a rear exhaust end 16 and a longitudinalcenter axis 18. In the particular arrangement shown herein, the engine10 is mounted beneath, and forwardly of, a wing 20 by means of amounting strut 22. Since in this preferred form the thrust reversalsystem 12 in its thrust reversing mode of operation directs the gaseousexhaust from the engine upwardly and forwardly at a location forwardlyof the wing's leading edge, the strut 22 is positioned so that itextends from the lower forward portion of the wing downwardly andlaterally outwardly at an angle of about 45 degrees from the vertical.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the engine comprises an outer nacellestructure or fan duct structure 24 and a core engine 26. This coreengine is, or may be, in and of itself of conventional design,comprising a forward compressor section 26a, a rear turbine section 26b,and an intermediate gas generating section 26c. The fan (not shown forease of illustration) is mounted within the forward end of the fan jetstructure 24, with the fan exhaust being discharged through the annularfan passageway 28, defined by the inner surface 30 of the fan jetstructure 24 and the outer surface 32 of the core engine 26. The coreengine 26 has an annular exhaust passageway 34 defined by a peripheralexhaust nozzle 36 and an end plug 38.

The thrust reversing assembly 12 of the present invention comprisesthree main components, namely an end flow or thrust diverting structure40, a blocking plate 42 which is pivotally mounted in the end structure40, and a set of turning vanes 44 mounted at the upper rear portion ofthe nacelle structure 24. The thrust reversing assembly 12 has a cruiseposition (illustrated in FIG. 3), and a thrust reversing position shownin FIGS. 4 and 15.

In the cruise configuration, the end structure 40 is simply a rearwardextension of the outer nacelle structure 24 defining an exhaustpassageway 46 through which the bypass air from the fan passageway 28and the exhaust from the core engine 26 are exhausted. Thus, the endstructure 40 has a forward end portion 48 which, in the cruiseconfiguration, is positioned adjacent to a rear end portion 50 of thenacelle structure 24 so that the outer and inner surfaces 52 and 54 ofthe end structure 40 form with the outer surface 56 and inner surface 30of the nacelle structure 24, respectively, continuous aerodynamicallyaligned surfaces which terminate at a rear circumferential edge 58defining a rear exhaust nozzle.

The end structure 40 is pivotally mounted at its lower front edge to thelower rear end of the nacelle structure 24 by means of a pair of hingemounts 60 for movement about a transverse axis. For purposes ofdescription, the terms "lower" and "upper" will be used to refer to thelocation of the axis of rotation of the hinge mounts 60. The hingemounting at 60 is positioned a moderate distance laterally in an inboarddirection from the lowermost location of the engine 10. Thus, the hingemounting at 60 is not truly at the lowermost location, but for facilityof description, it will be considered as being the lowermost location,while the term "upper" shall be used to denote a location diametricallyopposite to the hinge locations 60. Further, as can be seen in FIGS. 3and 4, and also in FIG. 15 in moving from the cruise position of FIG. 3to the thrust reversing position of FIG. 4, the end thrust divertingstructure 40 rotates rearwardly and downwardly through about 35 to 40degrees of travel to the thrust reversing position of FIG. 4.

The aforementioned turning vanes 44 comprise a plurality of individualvanes which are transversely aligned in a semi-circular configuration,with the vanes 44 being spaced from one another in a forward-to-reardirection. (See FIG. 10.) Thus, the configuration of the vanes 44collectively is that of half of a torus which is essentially a rearwardextension of the upper half of the nacelle or fan duct structure 24. Thevanes 44 and the thrust reversing end structure 40 are configuredrelative to one another so that in the cruise configuration of FIG. 3,the upper forward portion of the end structure 40 completely enclosesthe vanes 44, while in the thrust reversing position at FIG. 4, thevanes 44 are totally exposed.

The lower side edges of the vanes 44 are fixedly connected to an upperedge of two rearward extensions 62 of the lower end portion of the fanduct structure 24. (See FIGS. 8 and 10.) These rearward extensions 62serve two functions. In addition to performing the first function ofproviding a lower end mounting connection for the vanes 44 when the endstructure 40 is in the thrust reversing position, the extensions 62 formwith the lower part of the thrust diverting end structure 40 a lowerenclosed structure to enhance the upward and forward flow of the gaseousexhaust from the engine 10. More specifically, these rearward extensions62 each have the configuration of a sector of a circle (i.e. a "pieshaped" configuration), with a lower apex end 64, forward and rearupwardly and outwardly diverging edge portions 66 and 68, respectively,and an upper arcuately curved edge 70, and with the sector being curvedfrom the apex portion 64 to the curved edge 70 so as to follow thecurvature of the fan duct structure 24. The edge portion 68 is actuallya rearwardly facing surface portion of the extension 62.

It will be noted that the upper arcuately curved edge 70 of eachextension 62, in addition to supporting the vanes 44, forms a shoulderor step 72 positioned outwardly of the vanes 44. (See FIGS. 8 and 10.)Further, the forward inner edge portion 73 (see FIG. 8) of the forwardedge 66 of each extension 62 is spaced moderately radially outwardly ofa rear inner edge portion 74 of the fan duct structure 24 so as to forman annular rearwardly facing surface where there is positioned acircumferential seal 76. This seal 76 extends upwardly along each edgeportion 73 of the two extensions 62 and thence upwardly along the rearedge of the fan duct structure 24 adjacent to the most forward locationof the vanes 44. Also, the upper rear portion of the fan duct structure24 has a semicircular rearwardly facing shoulder or surface 78 having asemicircular configuration and being spaced radially outwardly of themost forward vane 44. These surfaces 72, 68 and 78, and also the seal 76are arranged to come into proper engagement with corresponding surfacesin the end thrust reversing structure 40, as will be described below.

With reference to FIGS. 9 and 11, it can be seen that the forward upperportion of the thrust reversing structure 40 has a semicircular slot 80which is curved in a forward to rear direction to match the forward torear curvature of a curved plane defined by the vanes 44, with thecurvature of the vanes 44 and of the slot 80 having the hinge location60 as a center of curvature. The forward radially outward edge portionof the end structure 40 has a semicircular forwardly facing surface 82which in the cruise configuration is positioned against the semicircularsurface 78 of the end structure 40. Then the wall portion 84 which ispositioned below the slot 80 has two sector-shaped cutout areas 86defined by an upper downwardly facing surface 88 and a forwardly facingsurface 90. In the cruise configuration, the downwardly facing surface88 is in engagement with the surface 72 of the each rear extension 62,while the forward facing surface 90 is in engagement with a matchingsurface 92 at the rear edge 68 of the related extension 62. Further, theforward edge portion of the thrust reversing structure 40 has at alocation radially inwardly of the slot 80 a forwardly facing annularsurface 94 which, in the cruise configuration, fits against the seal 76so as to prevent leakage of any of the exhaust or fan air at thelocation of the seal 76.

Thus, it can be appreciated that in the cruise configuration, the vanes44 remain positioned within the slot 80, and the forwardly facingsurface 82 fits against the surface 78 of the fan duct structure 24, thesurface 90 fits against the rearwardly facing surface 92 of eachextension 62, and the surfaces 88 and 72 fit against one another.Further, the annular surface 94 fits snugly against the seal 76, and thesector-shaped extensions 62 fit into related cutout areas 86 so as tooverlap matching sector-shaped portions 96 of the thrust reversing endstructure 40. The vanes 44 are desirably interconnected bylongitudinally extending bracing members 97 (see FIGS. 5 and 7).

Then, when the end thrust reversing structure 40 is rotated to itsthrust reversing position of FIG. 4 and FIG. 15, the vanes 44 becomeexposed, but the area immediately below the vanes 44 remains closed.More particularly, the lower wall portions 96 of the thrust reversingstructure 40 have at the forward edge portions thereof a small amount ofoverlap with the sector-shaped extensions 62 so as to form, in effect, asubstantially closed lower wall structure, which with the blocking plate42 form a flow diverting region where the flow from the core engine andthe fan are diverted upwardly and forwardly through the opening in whichthe vanes 44 are located.

The aforementioned blocking plate 42 is pivotally mounted to the flowdiverting end structure 40 about a transverse horizontal axis 100 atabout the mid height of the end structure 40. In the cruiseconfiguration of FIG. 3, the blocking plate 42 is horizontally alignedand aerodynamically contoured so as to provide minimum resistance to thegaseous exhaust which flows both above and below the blocking plate 42.In plan view, the plate 42 has a nearly circular configuration, but islengthened a small amount in a forward-to-rear direction so that theblocking plate 42 properly fits within the end structure 40 in itsblocking position. In the particular configuration shown herein, an endportion 102 of the end plug 38 of the core engine 26 is made separablefrom the main plug 38 and is fixedly connected to the forward endportion 104 of the plate 42 so as to be movable therewith. Moreparticularly, the plug end portion 102 fits against the plug 34 along aplane 105 which has an upward and rearward slant. Thus, it can be seenwith reference to FIG. 3 that with the end structure 40 in the cruiseposition, the movable plug end portion 102 which is fixed to theblocking plate 42 fits in a slot within the plug 38 so as to prevent anyupward or downward pivoting movement of the plate 42. If desired thisplug end portion 102 can be extended rearwardly to the rear end of theplate 42.

To properly move the blocking plate 42 between its cruise position atFIG. 3 and its blocking position of FIG. 4, there is provided a locatinglink 106 pivotally connected at its forward end 108 to the core engineplug 38, and pivotally connected at its rear end at 110 to a structuralmember 112 fixedly connected to and extending downwardly from the aftportion 114 of the blocking plate 42. This member 112 is aerodynamicallycontoured and is, in effect, an aerodynamic extension of a "V" shapedmember 114 extending rearwardly from the lower rear end of the plug 38.Thus, in the cruise configuration of FIG. 3, these members 112 and 114form a continuous aerodynamically contoured structure. It is to beunderstood that the locating link 106 can comprise a pair of these linkspositioned on opposite sides of the plug 38.

The forward connecting location 108 of the link 106 is above the hingeaxis defined by the hinge mounts 60 for the end structure 40, and therear link connection 110 is positioned rearwardly of the pivot axis 100for the blocking plate 42, with a line passing through the connectinglocations 108 and 110 being below the axis of rotation 100 of the plate42. Thus, the locating link 106 is arranged, relative to the pivotingmovement of the end structure 40, so that as the end structure 40 movesfrom the cruise position of FIG. 3 to the thrust reversing position ofFIG. 4, the blocking plate 42 is caused to move from its horizontallyextending cruise position in a clockwise direction (as seen in FIGS. 3and 4) to the blocking position of FIG. 4.

In the blocking position of FIG. 4, the blocking plate 42 extendsentirely across the opening defined by the end structure 40, but theplate is not perpendicular to a forward-to-rear center axis 116 of theend structure 40. Also, the forward end portion 104 of the plate 42 is,relative to a forward-to-rear center axis 116 of the end structure 40,to moderate distance forward of the rear end 118 of the blocking plate42.

To move the thrust reversing structure 40 between its cruise and thrustreversing positions, there is provided an hydraulic actuator 120connected to the fan duct structure 24 at a forward location 121 (seeFIG. 15) and connected at a rear location 122 to a fairing structure 124which in turn fixedly connected to the top part of the thrust reversingstructure 40. Also, it is to be understood that fairing can be providedto enclose the actuator 120. Further, it is to be understood that asuitable fairing 126 (shown somewhat schematically in FIGS. 3 and 4) canbe used to enclose the hinge mounts 60.

To discuss another facet of the present invention, reference is made toFIGS. 12, 13 and 14. The fan duct structure 24 is constructed as aprimary load carrying member to react the loads from the thrust reverserassembly 12 directly into structure in the strut 22. Also, the loadsdeveloped by the core engine 26 are transmitted directly into the fanduct structure 24 and then into the structure of strut 22. Since themanner in which the structural components can be arranged to transmitthese loads, as described above, are well known in the prior art, thesewill be discussed only briefly herein, and no attempt will be made topresent a full description of such components.

With reference to FIG. 12, there is shown a forward portion of the coreengine 26 being mounted by a plurality of struts 128 to react thetransverse loads and the torsional loads of the core engine 26 into thefan duct structure 24. Further, there is shown a second set of struts orlinks 130 to react these loads into the structure of the strut 22.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, there is a set of main thrust links 132connected between the structure of the strut 22 and the fan ductstructure 24. This is to transmit the thrust loads developed duringthrust reversing mode of operation directly from the fan duct structure24 into the structure of the strut 22. With regard to the thrust loadsdeveloped by the core engine 26, there can be provided thrust linksbetween the core engine 26 and the fan duct structure 24. Alternatively,there can be a thrust link connection directly from the core engine 26to the structure of the strut 22. Since the manner in which this can bedone is well known in the prior art, for convenience this is notillustrated herein.

To describe the operation of the present invention, in the cruiseposition of FIG. 3, the thrust reversing structure 12 is positioned soas to function simply as a rearward extension of the fan duct structure24 so as to provide the rear exhaust passageway portion terminating inthe exhaust nozzle defined by the rear circumferential edge 58. In thisposition, the blocking plate 42 is aligned with the direction of flow,and is also contoured so as to minimize any drag. As indicatedpreviously, the forward portion 104 of the blocking plate 42 has fixidlyconnected thereto an end portion 102 of the plug 38, with this endportion 102 having a slanted engagement plane 105 with the plug 38, sothat in the cruise position, the plate 42 is fixidly held in engagementwith the plug 38. To place the thrust reversing assembly in its thrustreversing position, the actuator 120 is extended to cause the end thrustreversing structure 40 to rotate rearwardly about the lower transverseaxis of the hinges 60. When this occurs, the upper forward portion ofthe structure 40 moves so as to uncover the vanes 44. However, the lowersector-shaped rear extensions 62 of the fan duct structure 24 remain inat least partial overlapping relationship with matching lower wallportions 96 of the thrust reversing structure 40 so as to form asubstantially closed lower wall portion beneath the vanes 44.

As the thrust reversing structure 40 moves rearwardly, the action of thelink or links 106 causes the blocking plate 42 to rotate about itshorizontal center axis 100 to the blocking position of FIG. 4. Thus, itcan be seen with reference to FIG. 4 that the area rearwardly of theprimary exhaust passageway 34 and the fan duct passageway 28 issubstantially closed except for the area occupied by the vanes 44, so asto create the flow diverting region. Thus, the primary exhaust and thefan air move upwardly through the vanes 44, with the vanes 44 directingthe flow in an upward, laterally outward and forward direction to causethrust reversal.

Since the flow from the engine is not directed symmetrically, relativeto the center axis of the engine, there is developed a substantiallateral force at the location of the thrust reversing assembly 12. Thelateral and longitudinal loads developed during thrust reversal aretransmitted from the thrust reversing assembly 12 directly into the fanduct case or structure 24 to be then transmitted to the structure of thestrut 22.

At the end of the thrust reversing mode of operation, the actuator 120is retracted to return the thrust reversing end structure 40 to thecruise configuration of FIG. 3, with the plate 42 returning to itshorizontally aligned cruise configuration.

It should be noted that this thrust reversal assembly 12 comprisesessentially four main moving components, namely the thrust reversing endstructure 40, the blocking plate 42, the link 106 and the actuator 120.Further, these are simple hinged components, which results in lowmaintenance costs and efforts.

The gaseous exhaust from the engine is directed in large part upwardly,and to some extent laterally, thus avoiding the blowing of dirt into theengine inlet and also avoiding reingestion of the engine exhaust.Further, the downward thrust in the thrust reversing mode counteractslift. Also, the thrust reversing components are arranged so that therelatively high temperature from the core engine is cooled by the fanblow, thus alleviating hot part complexity and maintenance.

It is to be understood that various modifications could be made withoutdeparting from the basic teachings of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A jet engine and thrust reversing assembly havinga forward end and a rear end, said assembly comprising:a. a core enginehaving an intake end and an exhaust end from which the primary exhaustis discharged into an exhaust area; b. a fan duct structure having anannular rear end portion and defining an annular secondary airpassageway which is positioned around the core engine and which exhaustssecondary air into said exhaust area; c. fan means to blow fan airthough said secondary air passageway; d. a thrust reversing subassemblycomprising:i. an annular thrust diverting structure having a cruiseposition and a thrust reversing position, said thrust reversingstructure comprising a circumferential side wall which in the cruiseposition extends substantially entirely around said exhaust area, with aforward annular end portion of said thrust diverting structure beingpositioned adjacent to the annular rear end portion of the fan ductstructure so as to form a rearward extension of said fan duct structureand to define a rear exhaust passageway portion from which the primaryexhaust and the air from the secondary passageway are discharged, saidthrust diverting structure being movable rearwardly from the cruiseposition to the thrust reversing position where at least one portion ofthe forward annular end portion of the thrust diverting structure isspaced rearwardly from the annular rear end portion of the fan ductstructure to form a laterally directed thrust diverting opening; and ii.passageway blocking plate means which in the cruise position is locatedto permit flow through the rear exhaust passageway portion and in thethrust reversing position blocks flow through the rear exhaustpassageway portion to create with the thrust diverting structure a flowdiverting region to cause the primary exhaust and the fan air to flowthrough the thrust reversing opening to create a reverse thrust; e. saidassembly being characterized in that lateral and longitudinal thrustreversing loads exerted on said thrust reversing subassembly aretransmitted into said fan duct structure which is arranged to in turntransmit said thrust reversing loads into other structure to which thejet engine and thrust reversing assembly is mounted; f. vane meanswhich, with the thrust diverting structure in said thrust reversingposition, is positioned in said thrust reversing opening to properlydirect flow through the thrust reversing opening; g. said thrustdiverting structure being pivotally mounted to said fan duct structureat a lower location so that the thrust diverting structure rotates witha downward component of motion to the thrust reversing position, so thatthe thrust diverting opening is directed upwardly.
 2. The assembly asrecited in claim 1, wherein said thrust diverting structure has openingmeans to receive said van means when the thrust diverting structure isin said cruise position.
 3. The assembly as recited in claim 2, whereinthe fan duct structure has lower rear wall sections having upper edgeportions to which said vane means is mounted.
 4. The assembly as recitedin claim 3, wherein the thrust diverting structure has lower forwardwall sections which in the cruise position overlap the lower rear wallsections of the fan duct structure, and in the thrust reversing positionform with the lower rear wall sections an enclosure wall means to definea lower portion of said thrust reversing region.
 5. The assembly asrecited in claim 4, wherein said blocking plate means is pivotallymounted at a location in said thrust diverting structure, and in thecruise configuration is aerodynamically aligned with flow through saidrear exhaust passageway portion, and is rotated to the thrust reversingposition where said blocking plate means extends transversely acrosssaid thrust diverting structure.
 6. The assembly as recited in claim 5,wherein said blocking plate means is pivotally mounted to said thrustdiverting structure so as to be movable therewith between the cruiseposition and the thrust reversing position.
 7. The assembly as recitedin claim 6, wherein there is blocking plate actuating means operativelyconnected between said blocking plate means and other structure in saidassembly which is not movable with said thrust diverting structure inmoving to the thrust reversing position, with said actuating means beingarranged to respond to relative movement between said thrust divertingstructure and said other structure to rotate said blocking plate meansbetween the cruise position and the thrust reversing position.
 8. Theassembly as recited in claim 7, wherein said actuating means compriseslinkage means connecting to said blocking plate means at a locationspaced from an axis of rotation about which said blocking plate meansrotates between the cruise position and the thrust reversing position.9. The assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein said other structure towhich the actuating means is connected comprises structure of said coreengine.
 10. The assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein said actuatingmeans is connected to a nozzle plug of said core engine.
 11. Theassembly as recited in claim 10, wherein said blocking plate means haslocking structure to interfit in locking relationship with said nozzleplug when the blocking plate means is in said cruise configuration, soas to prevent rotation of said blocking plate means in the cruiseposition, with said locking structure becoming disengaged from saidnozzle plug when said thrust diverting structure moves toward the thrustreversing position.
 12. The assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein saidassembly is mounted at a location below and forwardly of a wing, withsaid thrust reversing subassembly being positioned, relative to thewing, to direct flow through the thrust reversing opening in an upwarddirection forwardly of a leading edge of the wing.
 13. The assembly asrecited in claim 12, wherein said assembly is mounted from said wing bystrut means which extend from said wing downwardly and at a slant in anoutward direction, and said subassembly is arranged to direct saidthrust reversing flow laterally of said strut means in an upward andoutward slanted direction.
 14. The assembly as recited in claim 1,wherein:a. said thrust diverting structure is pivotally mounted to saidfan duct structure at a lower location so that the thrust divertingstructure rotates with a downward component of motion to the thrustreversing position, so that the thrust diverting opening is directedupwardly; b. the fan duct structure has lower rear wall sections havingupper edge portions to which said vane means is mounted; and c. thethrust diverting structure has lower forward wall sections which in thecruise position overlap the lower rear wall sections of the fan ductstructure, and in the thrust reversing position form with the lower rearwall sections an enclosure wall means to define a lower portion of saidthrust reversing region.
 15. The assembly as recited in claim 1, whereinsaid blocking plate means is pivotally mounted at a location in saidthrust diverting structure, and in the cruise configuration isaerodynamically aligned with flow through said rear exhaust passagewayportion, and is rotated to the thrust reversing position where saidblocking plate means extends transversely across said thrust divertingstructure.
 16. The assembly as recited in claim 15, wherein saidblocking plate is pivotally mounted to said thrust diverting structureso as to be movable therewith between the cruise position and the thrustreversing position.
 17. The assembly as recited in claim 16, whereinthere is a blocking plate actuating means operatively connected betweensaid blocking plate means and other structure in said assembly which isnot movable with said thrust diverting structure in moving to the thrustreversing position, with said actuating means being arranged to respondto relative movement between said thrust diverting structure and saidother structure to rotate said blocking plate means between the cruiseposition and the thrust reversing position.
 18. The assembly as recitedin claim 17, wherein said actuating means comprises linkage meansconnecting to said blocking plate means at a location spaced from anaxis of rotation about which said blocking plate means rotates betweenthe cruise position and the thrust reversing position.
 19. The assemblyas recited in claim 18, wherein said other structure to which theactuating means is connected comprises structure of said core engine.20. The assembly as recited in claim 19, wherein said actuating means isconnected to a nozzle plug of said core engine.
 21. The assembly asrecited in claim 20, wherein said blocking plate means has lockingstructure to interfit in locking relationship with said nozzle plug whenthe blocking plate means is in said cruise configuration, so as toprevent rotation of said blocking plate means in the cruise position,with said locking structure becoming disengaged from said nozzle plugwhen said thrust diverting structure moves toward the thrust reversingposition.
 22. A jet engine and thrust reversing assembly having aforward end and a rear end, said assembly comprising:a. an enginecomprising an engine housing enclosing a thrust creating engine portionand having an intake end and an annular rear end portion from whichexhaust is discharged into an exhaust area, b. a thrust reversingsubassembly comprising:i. an annular thrust diverting structure having acruise position and a thrust reversing position, said thrust reversingstructure comprising a circumferential side wall which in the cruiseposition extends substantially entirely around said exhaust area, with aforward annular end portion of said thrust diverting structure beingpositioned adjacent to the annular rear end portion of the housing so asto form a rearward extension of said housing and to define a rearexhaust passageway portion from which the exhaust is discharged, saidthrust diverting structure being pivotally movable about a lower hingelocation from the cruise position to the thrust reversing position wherean upper portion of the forward annular end portion of the thrustdiverting structure is spaced rearwardly from the annular rear endportion of the housing to form an upwardly directed thrust divertingopening; and ii. passageway blocking plate means which in the cruiseposition is located to permit flow through the rear exhaust passagewayportion and in the thrust reversing position blocks flow through therear exhaust passageway portion to create with the thrust divertingstructure a flow diverting region to cause the exhaust to flow throughthe thrust reversing opening to create a reverse thrust.
 23. Theassembly as recited in claim 22, further comprising vane means which,with the thrust diverting structure in said thrust reversing position,is positioned in said thrust reversing opening to properly direct flowthrough the thrust reversing opening.
 24. The assembly as recited inclaim 23, wherein said thrust diverting structure has opening means toreceive said vane means when the thrust diverting structure is in saidcruise position.
 25. The assembly as recited in claim 23, wherein thehousing has lower rear wall sections having upper edge portions to whichsaid vane means is mounted.
 26. The assembly as recited in claim 25,wherein the thrust diverting structure has lower forward wall sectionswhich in the cruise position overlap the lower rear wall sections of thehousing, and in the thrust reversing position form with the lower rearwall sections an enclosure wall means to define a lower portion of saidthrust reversing region.
 27. The assembly as recited in claim 26,wherein said blocking plate means is pivotally mounted at a location insaid thrust diverting structure, and in the cruise configuration isaerodynamically aligned with flow through said rear exhaust passagewayportion, and is rotated to the thrust reversing position where saidblocking plate means extends transversely across said thrust divertingstructure.
 28. The assembly as recited in claim 27, wherein saidblocking plate means is pivotally mounted to said thrust divertingstructure so as to be movable therewith between the cruise position andthe thrust reversing position.
 29. The assembly as recited in claim 28,wherein there is blocking plate actuating means operatively connectedbetween said blocking plate means and other structure in said assemblywhich is not movable with said thrust diverting structure in moving tothe thrust reversing position, with said actuating means being arrangedto respond to relative movement between said thrust diverting structureand said other structure to rotate said blocking plate means between thecruise position and the thrust reversing position.
 30. The assembly asrecited in claim 29, wherein said actuating means comprises linkagemeans connecting to said blocking plate means at a location spaced froman axis of rotation about which said blocking plate means rotatesbetween the cruise position and the thrust reversing position.
 31. Theassembly as recited in claim 30, wherein said other structure to whichthe actuating means is connected comprises structure of said engine. 32.The assembly as recited in claim 31, wherein said actuating means isconnected to a nozzle plug of said engine.
 33. The assembly as recitedin claim 32, wherein said blocking plate means has locking structure tointerfit in locking relationship with said nozzle plug when the blockingplate means is in said cruise configuration, so as to prevent rotationof said blocking plate means in the cruise position, with said lockingstructure becoming disengaged from said nozzle plug when said thrustdiverting structure moves toward the thrust reversing position.
 34. Ajet engine and thrust reversing assembly having a forward end and a rearend, said assembly comprising:a. an engine comprising an engine housingenclosing a thrust creating engine portion and having an intake end andan annular rear end portion from which exhaust is discharged into anexhaust area; b. a thrust reversing subassembly comprising:i. an annularthrust diverting structure having a cruise position and a thrustreversing position, said thrust reversing structure comprising acircumferential side wall which in the cruise position extendssubstantially entirely around said exhaust area, with a forward annularend portion of said thrust diverting structure being positioned adjacentto the annular rear end portion of the housing so as to form a rearwardextension of said housing and to define a rear exhaust passagewayportion from which the exhaust is discharged said thrust divertingstructure being movable rearwardly from the cruise position to thethrust reversing position where at least one portion of the forwardannular end portion of the thrust diverting structure is spacedrearwardly from the annular rear end portion of the fan duct structureto form a laterally directed thrust diverting opening; and ii.passageway blocking plate means which in the cruise position is locatedto permit flow through the rear exhaust passageway portion and in thethrust reversing position blocks flow through the rear exhaustpassageway portion to create with the thrust diverting structure a flowdiverting region to cause the primary exhaust and the fan air to flowthrough the thrust reversing opening to create a reverse thrust; c. saidblocking plate means being pivotally mounted at a location in saidthrust diverting structure, and in the cruise configuration beingaerodynamically aligned with and positioned in, flow through said rearexhaust passageway portion, and being rotatable to the thrust reversingposition where said blocking plate means extends transversely acrosssaid thrust diverting structure; d. said blocking plate means beingpivotally mounted to said thrust diverting structure so as to be movabletherewith between the cruise position and the thrust reversing position;e. blocking plate actuating means operatively connected between saidblocking plate means and other structure in said assembly which is notmovable with said thrust diverting structure in moving to the thrustreversing position, with said actuating means being arranged to respondto relative movement between said thrust reversing structure and saidother structure to rotate said blocking plate means between the cruiseposition and the thrust reversing position; f. said actuating meanscomprising linkage means connecting to said blocking plate means at alocation spaced from an axis of rotation about which said blocking platemeans rotates between the cruise position and the thrust reversingposition; g. said other structure to which the actuating means isconnected comprising structure of said engine portion; and h. saidblocking plate means having locking structure to interfit in lockingrelationship with said engine portion when the blocking plate means isin said cruise configuration, so as to prevent rotation of said blockingplate means in the cruise position, with said locking structure becomingdisengaged from said engine portion when said thrust diverting structuremoves toward the thrust reversing position.
 35. A method of reversingthrust of a jet engine having a forward end and a rear end, said methodcomprising:a. providing a core engine having an intake end and anexhaust end from which primary exhaust is discharged into an exhaustarea; b. providing a fan duct structure having an annular rear endportion and defining an annular secondary air passageway which ispositioned around the core engine and which exhausts secondary air intosaid exhaust area; c. providing a fan means to blow fan air through saidsecondary air passageway; d. positioning an annular thrust divertingstructure in a cruise position with said thrust reversing structurecomprising a circumferential side wall which in the cruise positionextends substantially entirely around said exhaust area, with a forwardannular end portion of said thrust diverting structure being positionedadjacent to the annular rear end portion of the fan duct structure so asto form a rearward extension of said fan duct structure and to define arear exhaust passageway portion from which the primary exhaust and theair from the secondary passageway are discharged; e. moving said thrustdiverting structure rearwardly from the cruise position to a thrustreversing position where at least one portion of the forward annular endportion of the thrust diverting structure is spaced rearwardly from theannular rear end portion of the fan duct structure to form a laterallydirected thrust diverting opening; f. initially positioning passagewayblocking plate means in a cruise position where said blocking platemeans is located to permit flow through the rear exhaust passagewayportion and moving the blocking plate means to a thrust reversingposition to block flow through the rear exhaust passageway portion tocreate with the thrust diverting structure a flow diverting region tocause the primary exhaust and the fan air to flow through the thrustreversing opening to create a reverse thrust; g. transmitting lateraland longitudinal thrust reversing loads exerted on said thrust reversingsubassembly into said fan duct structure which is arranged to in turntransmit said thrust reversing loads into other structure to which thejet engine and thrust reversing assembly is mounted; h. providing vanemeans which, with the thrust diverting structure in said thrustreversing position, is positioned in said thrust reversing opening toproperly direct flow through the thrust reversing opening; and i. movingsaid thrust diverting structure about a pivot mount to said fan ductstructure at a lower location so that the thrust diverting structurerotates with a downward component of motion to the thrust reversingposition, so that the thrust diverting opening is directed upwardly. 36.A jet engine and thrust reversing assembly having a longitudinal axis, aforward end and a rear end, said assembly comprising:a. an enginecomprising an engine housing enclosing a thrust creating engine portionand having an intake end and an annular rear end portion from which theexhaust is discharged into an exhaust area; b. a thrust reversingsubassembly comprising:i. an annular thrust diverting structure having acruise position and a thrust reversing position, said thrust reversingstructure comprising a circumferential side wall which in the cruiseposition extends substantially entirely around said exhaust area, with aforward annular end portion of said thrust diverting structure beingpositioned adjacent to the annular rear end portion of the housing so asto form a rearward extension of said housing and to define a rearexhaust passageway portion from which the exhaust is discharged, saidthrust diverting structure being pivotally movable about a hingelocation from the cruise position to the thrust reversing position wherea portion of the forward annular end portion of the thrust divertingstructure is spaced rearwardly from the annular rear end portion of thehousing to form a transversely directed thrust diverting opening; and;ii. passageway blocking plate means which in the cruise position islocated to permit flow through the rear exhaust passageway portion andin the thrust reversing position blocks flow through the rear exhaustpassageway portion to create with the thrust diverting structure a flowdiverting region to cause the exhaust to flow through the thrustreversing opening to create a reverse thrust.
 37. The assembly asrecited in claim 36, further comprising vane means which, with thethrust diverting structure in said thrust reversing position, ispositioned in said thrust reversing opening to properly direct flowthrough the thrust reversing opening.
 38. The assembly as recited inclaim 37, wherein said thrust diverting structure has opening means toreceive said vane means when the thrust diverting structure is in saidcruise position.
 39. The assembly as recited in claim 37, wherein thehousing has rear wall sections having edge portions with a longitudinalalignment component to which said vane means is mounted.
 40. Theassembly as recited in claim 39, wherein the thrust diverting structurehas forward wall sections which in the cruise position overlap the rearwall sections of the housing, and in the thrust reversing position formwith the rear wall sections an enclosure wall means to define a portionof said thrust reversing region.
 41. The assembly as recited in claim40, wherein said blocking plate means is pivotally mounted at a locationin said thrust diverting structure, and in the cruise configuration isaerodynamically aligned with flow through said rear exhaust passagewayportion, and is rotated to the thrust reversing position where saidblocking plate means extends transversely across said thrust divertingstructure.
 42. The assembly is recited in claim 41, wherein saidblocking plate means is pivotally mounted to said thrust divertingstructure so as to be movable therewith between the cruise position andthe thrust reversing position.
 43. The assembly as recited in claim 42,wherein there is blocking plate actuating means operatively connectedbetween said blocking plate means and other structure in said assemblywhich is not movable with said thrust diverting structure in moving tothe thrust reversing position, with said actuating means being arrangedto respond to relative movement between said thrust diverting structureand said other structure to rotate said blocking plate means between thecruise position and the thrust reversing position.
 44. The assembly asrecited in claim 43, wherein said actuating means comprises linkagemeans connecting to said blocking plate means at a location spaced froman axis of rotation about which said blocking plate means rotatesbetween the cruise position and the thrust reversing position.
 45. Theassembly as recited in claim 44, wherein said other structure to whichthe actuating means is connected comprises structure of said engine. 46.The assembly as recited in 45, wherein said actuating means is connectedto a nozzle plug of said engine.
 47. The assembly as recited in claim46, wherein said blocking plate means has locking structure to interfitin locking relationship with said nozzle plug when the blocking platemeans is in said cruise configuration, so as to prevent rotation of saidblocking plate means in the cruise position, with said locking structurebecoming disengaged from said nozzle plug when said thrust divertingstructure moves toward the thrust reversing position.
 48. The assemblyas recited in claim 36, wherein said blocking plate means is pivotallymounted in said assembly at a location in said thrust divertingstructure, and in the cruise configuration is aerodynamically alignedwith flow through said rear exhaust passageway portion, and is rotatedto the thrust reversing position where said blocking plate means extendstransversely across said thrust diverting structure.
 49. The assembly asrecited in claim 48, wherein said blocking plate means is pivotallymounted to said thrust diverting structure so as to be movable therewithbetween the cruise position and the thrust reversing position.
 50. Theassembly as recited in claim 49, wherein there is blocking plateactuating means operatively connected between said blocking plate meansand other structure in said assembly which is not movable with saidthrust diverting structure in moving to the thrust reversing position,with said actuating means being arranged to respond to relative movementbetween said thrust diverting structure and said other structure torotate said blocking plate means between the cruise position and thethrust reversing position.
 51. The assembly as recited in claim 50,wherein said actuating means comprises linkage means connecting to saidblocking plate means at a location spaced from an axis of rotation aboutwhich said blocking plate means rotates between the cruise position andthe thrust reversing position.
 52. The assembly as recited in claim 50,wherein said other structure to which the actuating means is connectedcomprises structure of said engine.
 53. The assembly as recited in claim52, wherein said actuating means is connected to a nozzle plug of saidengine.
 54. The assembly as recited in claim 53, wherein said blockingplate means has locking structure to interfit in locking relationshipwith said nozzle plug when the blocking plate means is in said cruiseconfiguration, so as to prevent rotation of said blocking plate means inthe cruise position with said locking structure becoming disengaged fromsaid nozzle plug when said thrust diverting structure moves toward thethrust reversing position.
 55. The assembly as recited in claim 36,wherein said blocking plate means is located within said exhaust area ina manner that in the cruise position the flow through the rear exhaustpassageway portion passes on opposite sides of said plate means.
 56. Theassembly as recited in claim 55, wherein said plate means is pivotallymounted at a pivot location between forward and rear portions of saidplate means in a manner that with said plate means moving to the thrustreversing position, said forward and rear portions of the plate meansmove oppositely to the thrust reversing position.
 57. The assembly asrecited in claim 56, wherein there is blocking plate actuating meansoperatively connected between said blocking plate means and otherstructure in said assembly which is not movable with said thrustdiverting structure in moving to the thrust reversing position with saidactuating means being arranged to respond to relative movement betweensaid thrust diverting structure and said other structure to rotate saidblocking plate means between the cruise position and the thrustreversing position.
 58. A jet engine and thrust reversing assemblyhaving a forward end and a rear end, said assembly comprising:a. a coreengine having an intake end and an exhaust end from which primaryexhaust is discharged into an exhaust area; b. a fan duct structurehaving an annular rear end portion and defining an annular secondary airpassageway which is positioned around the core engine and which exhaustssecondary air into said exhaust area; c. fan means to blow fan airthrough said secondary air passageway; d. a thrust reversing subassemblycomprising:i. an annular thrust diverting structure having a cruiseposition and a thrust reversing position, said thrust reversing positioncomprising a circumferential side wall which in the cruise positionextends substantially entirely around said exhaust area, with a forwardannular end portion of said thrust diverting structure being positionedadjacent to the annular rear end portion of the fan duct structure so asto form a rearward extension of said fan duct structure and to define arear exhaust passageway portion from which the primary exhaust and theair from the secondary passageway are discharged, said thrust divertingstructure being movable rearwardly from the cruise position to thethrust reversing position where at least one portion of the forwardannular end portion of the thrust diverting structure is spacedrearwardly from the annular rear end portion of the fan duct structureto form a laterally directed thrust diverting opening; and ii.passageway blocking plate means which in the cruise position is locatedto permit flow through the rear exhaust passageway portion and in thethrust reversing position blocks flow through the rear exhaustpassageway portion to create with the thrust diverting structure a flowdiverting region to cause the primary exhaust and the fan air flow toflow through the thrust reversing opening to create a reverse thrust; e.said thrust diverting structure being pivotally mounted to said fan ductstructure at a pivot location so that the thrust diverting structurerotates about said pivot location to the thrust reversing position. 59.The assembly as recited in claim 58, wherein said thrust divertingstructure is pivotally mounted to said fan duct structure at said pivotlocation which is at a lower location so that the thrust divertingstructure rotates with a downward component of motion to the thrustreversing position, so that the thrust diverting opening is directedupwardly.
 60. The assembly as recited in claim 58, further comprisingvane means which, with the thrust diverting structure in said thrustreversing position, is positioned in said thrust reversing opening toproperly direct flow through the thrust reversing opening.
 61. Theassembly as recited in claim 60, wherein said thrust diverting structurehas opening means to receive said vane means when the thrust reversingstructure is in said cruise position.
 62. The assembly as recited inclaim 61, wherein the fan duct structure has lower rear wall sectionshaving edge portions with a longitudinal alignment component to whichsaid vane means is mounted.
 63. The assembly as recited in claim 62,wherein the thrust diverting structure has forward wall sections whichin the cruise position overlap the rear wall sections of the fan ductstructure, and in the thrust reversing position form with the rear wallsections an enclosure wall means to define a portion of said thrustreversing region.
 64. The assembly as recited in claim 58, wherein saidblocking plate means is pivotally mounted at a location in saidassembly, and in the cruise configuration is aerodynamically alignedwith flow through said rear exhaust passageway portion, and is rotatedto the thrust reversing position where said blocking plate means extendstransversely across said thrust diverting structure.
 65. The assembly asrecited in claim 64, wherein said blocking plate means is pivotallymounted to said thrust diverting structure so as to be movable therewithbetween the cruise position and the thrust reversing position.
 66. Theassembly as recited in claim 65, wherein there is blocking plateactuating means operatively connected between said blocking plate meansand other structure in said assembly which is not movable with saidthrust diverting structure in moving to the thrust reversing position,with said actuating means being arranged to respond to relative movementbetween said thrust diverting structure and said other structure torotate said blocking plate means between the cruise position and thethrust reversing position.
 67. The assembly as recited in claim 66,wherein said actuating means comprises linkage means connecting to saidblocking plate means at a location spaced from an axis of rotation aboutwhich said blocking plate means rotates between the cruise position andthe thrust reversing position.
 68. The assembly as recited in claim 67,wherein said other structure to which the actuating means is connectedcomprises structure of said core engine.
 69. The assembly as recited inclaim 68, wherein said actuating means is connected to a nozzle plug ofsaid core engine.
 70. The assembly as recited in claim 69, wherein saidblocking plate means has locking structure to interfit in lockingrelationship with said nozzle plug when the blocking plate means is insaid cruise configuration, so as to prevent rotation of said blockingplate means in the cruise position, with said locking structure becomingdisengaged from said nozzle plug when said thrust diverting structuremoves toward the thrust reversing position.
 71. The assembly as recitedin claim 58, wherein said blocking plate means is located within saidexhaust area in a manner that in the cruise position to flow through therear exhaust passageway portion passes on opposite sides of said platemeans.
 72. The assembly as recited in claim 71, wherein said plate meansis pivotally mounted at a pivot location between forward and rearportions of said plate means in a manner that with said plate meansmoving to the thrust reversing position, said forward and rear portionsof the plate means move oppositely to the thrust reversing position. 73.The assembly as recited in claim 72, wherein there is blocking plateactuating means operatively connected between said blocking plate meansand other structure in said assembly which is not movable with saidthrust diverting structure in moving to the thrust reversing positionwith said actuating means being arranged to respond to relative movementbetween said thrust diverting structure and said other structure torotate said blocking plate means between the cruise position and thethrust reversing position.
 74. A jet engine and thrust reversingassembly having a forward end and a rear end, said assemblycomprising:a. a core engine having an intake end and an exhaust end fromwhich primary exhaust is discharged into an exhaust area; b. a fan ductstructure having an annular rear end portion and defining an annularsecondary air passageway which is positioned around the core engine andwhich exhausts secondary air into said exhaust area; c. fan means toblow fan air through said secondary air passageway; d. a thrustreversing subassembly comprising:i. an annular thrust divertingstructure having a cruise position and a thrust reversing position, saidthrust reversing structure comprising a circumferential side wall whichin the cruise position extends substantially entirely around saidexhaust area, with a forward annular end portion of said thrustdiverting structure being positioned adjacent to the annular rear endportion of the fan duct structure so as to form a rearward extension ofsaid fan duct structure and to define a rear exhaust passageway portionfrom which the primary exhaust and the air from the secondary passagewayare discharged, said thrust diverting structure being movable rearwardlyfrom the cruise position to the thrust reversing position where at leastone portion of the forward annular end portion of the thrust divertingstructure is spaced rearwardly from the annular rear end portion of thefan duct structure to form a laterally directed thrust divertingopening; and ii. passageway blocking plate means which in the cruiseposition is located to permit flow through the rear exhaust passagewayportion and in the thrust reversing position blocks flow through therear exhaust passageway portion to create with the thrust divertingstructure a flow diverting region to cause the primary exhaust and thefan air to flow through the thrust reversing opening to create a reversethrust; e. said assembly being characterized in that lateral andlongitudinal thrust reversing loads exerted on said thrust reversingsubassembly are transmitted into said fan duct structure which isarranged to in turn transmit said thrust reversing loads into otherstructure to which the jet engine and thrust reversing assembly ismounted; f. said thrust diverting structure being pivotally mounted tosaid fan duct structure at a lower location so that the thrust divertingstructure rotates with a downward component of motion to the thrustreversing position, so that the thrust diverting opening is directedupwardly; g. the fan duct structure having lower rear wall sectionshaving upper edge portions to which a vane means is mounted; and h. thethrust diverting structure having lower forward wall sections which inthe cruise position overlap the lower rear wall sections an enclosurewall means to define a lower portion of said thrust reversing region.